Senior Farm and Ranch Broadcaster, Ron Hays, caught up with outgoing American Angus Association President, and Oklahoma Rancher, Barry Pollard. On the last day of his term as both President and a board member, Pollard reflected on the association and the breed as a whole.
Pollard served on the board of directors for eight years and says that interest in the Angus industry is at an all-time high. “We’ve developed EPDs, a lot of accurate and reliable tools for producers, and people have taken advantage of those opportunities and created herds of Angus cattle that are superior in many aspects from mothering ability to carcass qualities.”
According to Pollard, those qualities are the basis of the breed’s success. He said, “As Americans have become more accustomed to finer quality meat and their desire for it continues to grow, not only in the United States but also across the world. It has created a demand for the Angus breed which excels in those carcass traits.”
No matter which organization Pollard has been involved with, he understands the importance of helping the youth grow as future producers and leaders. “Our junior program is robust,” he said. “One of the things I’m really excited about is on our new website, we are creating an Angus Beef Academy. It offers courses on the beef industry, and people can earn points towards various types of recognition for their accomplishments in those learning modules. It is a great opportunity to get that information out to our youth.”
As an individual producer, Pollard will be supporting the charitable arm of the association this year by donating an Angus heifer from his herd to be sold at the start of the National Bull Sale of the Angus breed at Cattlemen’s Congress to raise money for the Angus Foundation.
Pollard encouraged producers to check out the website to find information about the Angus breed, how to get involved, and where to find quality Angus bulls. “That Angus cross is just a superior animal,” he said.
The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Ag Network and is a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR for today’s show and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.
